99yo WWII British RAF Bomber vet dies with no friends or family

[johnnydawg68]

His obituary asks if other service members could possible attend his funeral. Click the link below to see what happened.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/tomphillips/a-veteran-died-with-nobody-to-attend-his-funeral-what-happen

 

[Bungle]

That's about the most positive use of Twitter I think I've seen, well in.

 

[bluemangroup]

It's a really nice gesture and all and fair play to those that went. But isn't it all a bit pointless to the guy himself? He still died alone.

 

[bignev23]

Where were they when he was alive?

 

[Bungle]

Where were they when he was alive?

On Twitter and Facebook.

 

[dholliday]

It's a really nice gesture and all and fair play to those that went. But isn't it all a bit pointless to the guy himself? He still died alone.

aye...a lot of this reaction will be to make themselves feel better, thinking they've banked some credit in the 'good' bank, which allows them to do naughty things later.

The true good souls in this sort of thing are those who spend time with lonely old people while they're living out their last days.

Which is becoming quite a rare thing. I have to be honest with yous, I haven't looked to spend time with old folk (outside my own family) either. Going to a stranger's funeral won't help that.

 

[bignev23]

On Twitter and Facebook.

Aye, call me a cynic but I think most smelt a story in the news which they could become involved in and how much of a nice person they'd look.

Percy didn't need them when he was alive and he certainly doesn't need them now.

 

[bluemangroup]

This feel good thread has gone well I think so far.

 

[mrs the esk]

Sad display of cynicism in this thread, an old man who served his country died and people turned up to pay their last respects not to feature in a social media extravaganza, have some respect for those that turned up.

 

[dholliday]

Sad display of cynicism in this thread, an old man who served his country died and people turned up to pay their last respects not to feature in a social media extravaganza, have some respect for those that turned up.

It's not really cynical to question the root cause of why he was alone in the first place. He was a man, not a symbol.

 

[bluemangroup]

Sad display of cynicism in this thread, an old man who served his country died and people turned up to pay their last respects not to feature in a social media extravaganza, have some respect for those that turned up.

Yeah but for who's benefit is it? It's of no comfort to the man who died. He had no family or friends who would be touched by the gesture. Only gives those who attend a sense of well being, which in itself isn't a bad thing like, but it's a bit hollow isn't it?

 

[davek]

Place an advertisement in that same paper to alert locals of a lonely pensioner suffering from dementia and see how many turn up to say hello.

 

[johnnydawg68]

Lot of cynics here, I'm surprised. Fact is service people stick together and hundreds of them gave up their time to honour a man they didn't even know.

That's a good thing in my book, but to each his own I guess.

 

[mrs the esk]

Place an advertisement in that same paper to alert locals of a lonely pensioner suffering from dementia and see how many turn up to say hello.

You might prove me wrong, I hope so, but when was the last time you visited a lonely pensioner?

 

[davek]

You might prove me wrong, I hope so, but when was the last time you visited a lonely pensioner?

I dont know of any demented pensioners. Although that's hardly the point. The point was to underline the grief porn that motivates the actions of some during these times.

And you cant be taking the moral high ground after previously waiving prosecutions on executions in the war theatre.